1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to hand tools used in laying carpet. It relates more specifically to a hand tool which both trims and tucks carpet edges.
2. Background
A carpet tucker is a tool which tucks the edge of a carpet adjacent to a wall or baseboard in order to give the carpet a finished appearance. Tucking presses the edge of the carpet firmly into a tucking trough formed between a tacking strip and a wall or baseboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,392 to Iannacone, (the “'392 patent”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, which was invented by the inventor of the present application) discloses a multi-wheeled carpet tucker which works bidirectionally. FIG. 7 of the '392 patent shows the carpet in position to be tucked. FIG. 8 of the '392 patent shows the carpet tucker in operation.
Carpet trimmers of various sorts are known in the art. Carpet trimmers conventionally have vertically-oriented cutting edges and are used to cut the carpet separately from tucking the carpet. Accordingly, what is needed is a tool that both trims and tucks in one motion.